Ejector for slug casting machines



April 23, 1940. A. G. sPr-:RRY

EJECTOR FOR SLUG CASTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 22, 1939 Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED `STATES Einoroa Foa SLUG CASTING MAoniNEs Arthur G. Sperry, Hollis, N. Y.,'assignor` to Intertype Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 22, 1939, Serial No. 305,595

` 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to typographical machines of the general class referred to in U. S. Letters Patent No. 436,532 granted September 16,

, 1890, wherein composed lines of character bearing matrices are employed for producing printl ing slugs or type bars, theslugs being cast in a longitudinally slotted. mold into which molten type metal is injected at the rear and then being removed or discharged therefrom by means of an ejector which is adapted to advance against the rear or bottom edge of the slug and push it for wardly out of the mold. The modern `machines are provided with several molds mounted on a rotatable mold Wheel so that one or another mold |j, may be selected for use, and each mold is adjustable as to the length of the casting slot therein in order to produce slugs of different lengths. (Further, the height of the casting slots in the several molds may `vary so that slugs different n4 in point size or body thickness may be produced.`

are necessarily very thin and it sometimes hapv pens that in ejecting a thick slug the blade digs into` the base of the body portion and `thus tends to jam or to twist the slug as it is moved forwardly thereby out of the mold and through the usual trimming knives. This objectionable condition is especially emphasized in the case of the well known recessed or ribbed slugs in which the type carrying portion or shelf overhangs to an appreciable extent the relatively thin body portion, the overhang being supported by` widened oir thickened ribs spaced at Yintervals throughout the length of the slugs and projecting laterally from the` i main or solid body portion thereof.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the objectionable conditions referred to in i a simple and effective manner and by means readily adaptable to ejectors of the ordinary forms now in use. To this end the invention provides at at least one point in the vertical width of an ejector blade within the usual set thereof a laterally projecting rib preferably made integral with the blade as by staking, welding or otherwise and ex- 5 tending along` one side of the blade in a fore and aft direction so as to increase its effective thickness. The disposition of the rib is such that it falls opposite one of the widened supporting ribs on the slug tobe ejected (and of course opposite the recess in the mold which forms such rib on 5 the slug) whereby upon the usual advance of the blade the rib thereon engages against the broad surface presented by the bottom of the corresponding rib on the slug and thus moves the latter forward squarely as it leaves the mold. The invention further contemplates an ejector arrangf-:d` to accommodate such rib-carrying blades as well as blades of the ordinary plain or non-ribbed type in certain Width and arranged also to permit the two types of blades to be interchanged so far as is practicable so that within the single set of blades either a plain or a ribbed blade may be made available. For this purposev the usual blade guiding member or stepped guide at the front ofthe ejector blade case or housing is provided with suitable slots for accommodating the ejector blades having laterally 'projecting ribs.

In the accompanying drawing one embodiment of the invention is shown merely by Way of eX- l ample, and obviously many changes and modiiications may be `made in the form, arrangement and combination of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to theI drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view showing a conventional form of ejector slide with a recessed mold, in section, in slug ejecting position relative to the slide, and shows an ejector blade constructed in accordance with the invention in advanced position after ejecting a slug from the mold and between the usual trimming knives. 4o

Fig. 2 is a foreshortened front elevation on an enlarged scale of the ejector blade case shown in the ejector slide in Fig. l and shows the stepped guide block at the front of the case modified to accommodate the ejector blades of the 5, invention.

Fig. 3 is a foreshortened side elevation from the right of the ejector blade case in Fig. 2 with the right side plate of core thereof removed, and shows the relation of the rib-carrying blades of i. the invention `to the ribs of a recessed type slug.

Fig. 4 is an elevation in perspective of an ejector blade constructed according to the invention. Similar parts are designated by the same reference` characters in the different gures. 5l

By way of example the invention is herein slug casting machines which mechanism is constructed in accordance with that described in U. S. Letters Patent 1,123,814 granted January 5, 1915, wherein there is provided a plurality of separate ejector bladesy usually each of a different width vertically, the blades being arranged side by side in parallel planes in a suitable case which.

is adjustable sidewise so that any desiredblade may be aligned with and operatively connected to a master blade and with the casting slot in the mold, the master blade being actuated periodically in a fore and aft direction to thereby effect slug ejecting movementA of the selected blade. Since the construction and mode of operation of such ejector mechanism is well known a full description thereof is deemed unnecessary for present purposes. For complete details, however, vreference may be had to the patent above referred to.

As shown in Fig. l the ejector blade case l containing a single set of ejector blades generally designated Afis suitably housed ina widened pocket 2a in the usual ejector slide 2v. (also known as thev mold slide), the case l being adjustable laterally in the pocket of the' slide upon iore and aft movement of a shiftable frame having topand bottom bars provided with obliquely disposed keys (not shown) which operate in corresponding oblique slots 3 in the outer sides of the 'top and bottom of' the case l. Details of this mechanism are omitted in the present instance but described inv the aforementioned Patent No. 1,123,814. Upon adjustment of the case l the selected blade of the set thereof ycontained in the case l is brought into the xed vertical plane in Which the master blade #t secured to the actuating slide 5 is arranged to move fore and aft in known manner when actuated periodically by the ejector link li.` The master blade is of the same thickness as one of the ejector 'blades A and is provided with a T-sl'laped tongue 'l projecting from its iront ver` tical edge, such tongue being adapted to engage a correspondingly shaped aperture formed in each of the blades A and to effect operative connection of' the master blade to any selected one of the blades A.

The blade case l comprises side plates il andy il, top and bottom plates l@ and ll and a stepped blade confining guide block I2 at the forward end, these parts constituting means for coniining the entire set of blades for lateral shifting movement as a whole and sliding fore and aft movement individually. Different guide blocks may be employed to suit different sets or complements of ejector blades A, the guide block iZ'rin the present instance being4 formed with steps to accommodate a single set of twelve blades in nine different widths viz., two blades 3) ems wide, two. 26 ems, one 23 ems, one 20 ems, two 18 ems,` and one each l5, 14, i2 and 10 eins in width.

According to the present invention one or more f of the ejector blades within the set thereof may be provided with a laterallyprojecting flange or rib pto increase its effective thickness. Thus,- rei ferring to Figs. 2 and 3, one of the 30 ern blades,

designated i3, is provided with a lateral. rib i4; one of the 26 ern blades l5 with a rib i6, :and one of the 18 em blades il with a rib I8. Fig. 4 shows" portion of the blade itself) and extending along one side of the blade parallel to the top and bottom'edges thereof. Fig. Il also shows the T-shaped aperture I9 into which the tongue 'l on the front vertical edge of the master blade 4 engages to` operatively connect the latter to a selected one of the ejector blades in the sidewise adjustable case l.

It will be noted fromv Fig. 2 that the bot tom edges of all of the blades rest on the bottom or floor plate il of the ejectorV case l, that' the blades have body portions of uniform thickness and are held in close relation facewise by the enclosing side plates 8 and Q of the case and that they are arranged in orderly relation according to width. However, there is suilcient freedom between the blades, to permit any one of them to slide'forv/ardly kwhen keyed to the master blade d relative to which the case is adjustable laterally as previously stated. When a selected blade is thus advanced, as it isfor ejecting a slug, it is guided and confined facewise by adjacent blades and by the vertical stepped surfaces of the guide block l2, and edgewise by the horizontal steps on the guide block. Thus it willbe seen that the top edge of each blade (except for the 30 em blade) terminates adjacent to a horizontal step in the block l2 and one of the blades in every size bears sidewise toward its upper end against a vertical step in the block l2.'

ForV accommodatingblades which according to the invention carry a lateral rib for increasing their eiective thicknesaclearance slots for such ribs are out in the blade guiding edge ofv the block l2. In the present instance such clearn ance slots are formed at levels at which lateral ribs would be carried on 30, 26, 21, 18 and 15 em ejector blades for ejecting slugs of these respective lengths, provided that the spacing between the overhang supporting ribs 20 on such slugs is that shown on the slug S. It may be pointed out here that the slug S, which is viewed from'v its recessed or ribbed side in Fig. 3 and shown in section through one ofitsv ribs in Fig. l', is representative of a 48-point cast slug in a mold of like size and of a design novvl in common use. However, the rib spacing on recessed slugs of this and other point sizes may be varied'to suit different conditions. As a matter of fact there are several' different types of recessed molds in common use but all of' them cast slugs of this general character, and the matter of rib spacing is largely governed by requirements of the user; Therefore it will be clear that ejector blades with lateral ribs located dilerently than those herein shown may be required and in such cases a stepped guide l2 would be provided having clearance slots located at suitablev but diflerent levels than herein shown.

As indicated, the lateral ribs I4, I8 and [Svare 'accommodated in clearance slots 2l, 22 and 23 respectively, these slots being coextensive through one of the usual keeper plates 24 which plates overlie the stepped guide l2 at the forward end of the main ejector slide Zandform between their opposed innery edges a single vertical' slot for the passage of the selected blade, such slot also ailording guidance and'` side sulpport to vsuch blade as it advances to eject a slug.I

Ejector blades may be provided havingv lateral ribs of suitable projected Width for ejecting slugs of greater or less thickness than Llli-point, it being understood that the lateral ribl on a blade must always be slightly less in Width than the depth 'of the recessed portion in the mold through which it must pass in order to fully ejecta slug. However, insofaras possible the clearance slots in the guide block I2 may be made deep enough to suit the widest lateral ribs regardless of' the actual projected width of the ribs. Further, clearance slots may be provided for as many rib locations as desired with the exception that for blades which lie close to the right side wall of the blade case there is insucient space, as will be seen from `Fig.\2, to cut such slots in the guide block I2. 'I'he guide block I2 in the present instance is provided with additional clearance slots 25 and` 26 at suitable levels for accommodating 23 em, 21 em and 15 em blades having laterally projecting ribs` thereon. Thus, as will be clear from Fig.` 2, the non-ribbed 23 em blade shown may be exchanged for` a 23 em blade carrying a lateral rib guided in the slot 25 or the non-ribbed 20 em blade: may be exchanged for a 21 em blade with a lateral rib guided in slot 25, and the non-ribbed 15 em blade may be exchanged for a 15 em bladewith a narrow rib guided inthe slot 26.

The increase in the effective thickness of an ejector blade due to the laterally projecting rib herein provided enables a slug of the thicker variety such as the recessed slug S to be moved forward squarely during its ejection from the mold in which it was cast. In Fig. 1 a mold is shown in slug ejecting position before the ejector slide 2, this mold being one of several secured as usual to the mold wheel 21 which, as well known, is rotatable on a stub shaftcarried in an extension of the arm 28 on the slide 2. The mold comprises a cap portion 29 and a body portion 30, the cap being so recessed as to form the ribbed slugs (a 30 em slug) which is shown after being ejected from the mold and moved forwardly between the usual side trimming knives 3l by the 30 em ejector blade I3.

It will be seen that the front edge of the laterally projecting rib I4 provided on the blade I3 bears against the broad bottom surface 32 of one of the ribs 2l] on the slug S, actually against the second rib from the upper end of the slug as viewed in Fig. 3. Such widened bearing of the blade enables advancing the slug squarely out of the mold by overcoming the digging-in and twisting tendency heretofore experienced due to contact only of the thin vertical front edge of an ejector blade against the solid body portion of relatively thick or recessed slugs in which such body portion lies` well to one side of the longitudinal center through the slug thickness. Should the length of the casting slot in a selected mold be 26 ems or 18 ems, slugs like the slug S but of these shortened lengths would be cast and for i ejecting such slugs the rib-carrying 26 em or 18 em ejector blades I or II would be selected for use. And should the casting slot in a selected mold be recessed to cast say a 36-point` slug, then ejector' blades with a similar but narrower lateral rib would be employed and such blades, incidentally, would be suitable as well for ejecting slugs larger than 36-points in thickness.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides simple and effective m-eans for assu-.ring the satisfactory ejection of recessed slugs of the thicker variety, such means comprising an ejector blade the effective thickness of which is increased at one point in its vertical width by a flange or rib integral therewith and disposed thereon so as to project laterally from a side face of the blade and thus bear squarely against a widened portion of the slug. One onl5r of such laterally disposed flanges or' ribs is suincient to advance a slug squarely during the ejecting operation, and this even when such rib on the blade engages a widen-ed portion of the slug located toward one end thereof as it does with the ejector mechanism towhich the invention is herein applied. Moreover, the invention provides for the accommodation among the blades in a single set thereof of one or more of such Vribcarrying ejector blades to suit different slug lengths and for the substitution of ribbed blades for the ordinary plain or non-ribbed blades. It is to be noted, however, that it is preferable for practical reasons to provide the ordinary nonribbed blades as heretofore in as many sizes (vertical widths) as possible and preferable also to provide such blades` in every size where a ribbed blade is also provided, it being evident that the two types or blades function entirely independently, one for the distinct purpose of ejecting relatively thick slugs and the other for ejecting the thinner slugs. Moreover, the arrangement according to the invention lends itself readily to adaptation to any standard machine v since in lieu of requiring the introduction of `an entirely special form of ejector' mechanism, it makes available for use both types of `ejector blades merely by substituting in the standard ejector the modified blade guiding member herein described.

I claim:

1. In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting mechanism including a single set of ejector blades of different vertical widths, said blades being arranged side by side in parallel planes in orderly stepped relation according to width and having among them in certain predetermined widths a ribbed and a non-ribbed blade, and a blade conning guide block having stepped surfaces corresponding to the stepped relation of the blades and having a series of clearance slots each for accommodating a rib on a different on-e of the ribbed blades in the set.

2. In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting mechanism including a single set of ejector blades of different vertical widths and comprisingamong them in at least one width a ribbed and a non-ribbed blade, said set of blades being arranged in compact relation in parallel planes and in orderly stepped relation according to width, and a blade confining guide block having stepped surfaces corresponding to the stepped relation of the blades and having a slot for accommodating the rib on the ribbed blade inthe set.

3. In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting mechanism including an adjustable ejector blade case adapted to contain therein for selective use a single set of ejector blades of different vertical widths and arranged in the case in compact relation flatwise and in orderly stepwise relation as to Width, said case being constructed to accommodate within the set and in desired widths blades having a single rib integral therewith and projecting laterally from a side face thereof to thereby increase the effective width of the body portion of such blades at one point in their vertical width.

4. In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting mechanism including a single seti of ejector blades of different vertical widths arranged in orderly relation as to width and adjacent facewise in parallel planes, said blades comprising among them in certain predetermined widths a plain blade of uniform thickness throughout its width and a blade having a single rib projecting laterally from a side face thereof.

5. In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting mechanism including a single set oi ejector blades adjustable to select from the set a blade of a desired vertical Width, said blades being arranged within the set in orderly relation as to Width and adjacent facewise in parallel planes and comprising among them incertain Widths only a nonribbed blade and in certain other Widths a nonribbed blade and a blade having a single rib projecting laterallyv from a side face thereof at one point in its Vertical width.

6; In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting mechanism including a single set oi ejector blades of different vertical Widths, said blades being arranged adjacent atwise in parallel planes in orderly stepped relation according to Width and having among them plain and ribi carrying blades, and a blade conning guide common to all of the blades in the set and `slotted to permit the substitution in certain Widths of a ribbed blade for a plain blade.

7. In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting fering in Width and comprising among themribbed and non-ribbed blades, said blades in sim i'lar Widths being interchangeable Within the set whereby a ribbed blade may be substituted for a non-ribbed blade, or vice versa.

9. In a slug casting machine, slug ejecting mechanism including a single set of ejector blades comprising among them ribbed and non-y ribbed blades and said mechanism including means permitting the substitution at given positions Within the set of a ribbed blade for a nonribbed blade.

ARTHURl G. SPERRY.

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